• Welcome to the National Directory of Stormwater Contractors

Welcome to BMPClean.org, the national directory of contractors that perform inspection and maintenance of stormwater related infrastructure. Our mission is to provide municipalities, business and property owners, property managers, facility managers, property associations, and home owners associations with a comprehensive resource to locate contractors in their area who can assist with inspection, maintenance, and repairs of stormwater Best Management Practices (BMPs).

• What is Stormwater?

Stormwater runoff occurs when rain and snowmelt flows over land or impervious surfaces and does not percolate into the ground. As the runoff flows over the land or impervious surfaces (paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, rooftops, etc.), its rate of flow increases as it collects debris, chemicals, oils, sediment or other pollutants that could adversely affect water quality if the runoff is discharged untreated.

• What are BMPs?

The primary method to control stormwater discharges (stormwater management) is the use of Best Management Practices (BMPs). While there are many different types of BMPs used to control stormwater (click here to see some examples), two broad categories are most appropriate for maintenance: Above Ground and Below Ground. Above Ground BMPs include basins, dry ponds, wet ponds, sand filters, bioretention, swales, channels, etc. Below Ground BMPs are usually unseen, and can be underground pipe storage systems, oil/water separators, sand filters, proprietary separating, filtering, or storage devices, vaults, etc.

• Why BMPs?

Control and treatment of stormwater runoff in the United States was mandated in the Clean Water Act in 1972. The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program requires businesses, states, and municipalities to have programs, practices, and infrastructure in place to control the discharge of pollutants in stormwater. See http://www.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/101pape.pdf for a comprehensive history of water permitting. Therefore, most stormwater discharges are required to have coverage under an NPDES permit, whether the permit is directly issued to a business or landowner or facilitated by a municipal regulatory body (State, County, City, etc). BMPs are usually required to meet NPDES requirements.